Two policemen, Zhang Xinmin and Ou Guangquan, who died while working in the unprecedented snow havoc, were posthumously conferred the title of hero and model of all Chinese policemen on Saturday.

Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu signed an order here to grant a medal and certificate of merit to the men. The order said the exemplary deeds of the comrades fully reflected the spirit of new-period police, "loyal, dependable, just, brave, valiant, disciplined and devoted".

Zhang, born in October 1957 and a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), joined the police in 1980. He was a class I police supervisor in the traffic police branch of Hefei, capital of the eastern Anhui Province.

When the worst snow and ice in five decades hit the southern portion of the country, he voluntarily asked to work on the front-line to battle against the extreme weather. He braved the cold snap, working at his post for more than 10 days consecutively to direct traffic flow.

In the early morning of January 23, Zhang died in a traffic accident while on patrol.

Ou, born in June 1946 and a CPC member, joined the police in 1979. As a police supervisor Class II, he worked for the detention house of Taijiang County, Guizhou Province.

During the worst snow havoc, he worked more than 10 hours daily in the detention house that had suffered a blackout and was without water supply.

In the afternoon of January 21, Ou died of a cerebral haemorrhage at his post due to overwork.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2008)